Rwanda Survivors Fund

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will raise with the Rwandan Government the concerns of the Rwanda Survivors Fund that failure to care for raped women may result in their deaths before they are able to testify against their attackers.

Baroness Amos: The issue was raised recently at the third national summit on unity and reconciliation hosted by the Government of Rwanda's National Unity and Reconciliation Commission. Among the recommendations announced in the summit's communiqué was the following:
	"In order to enhance the process of reconciliation of Rwandans, the concerns of genocide victims must be given priority; particularly women who were raped with the intention of infecting them with HIV/AIDS must be assisted in terms of medication".
	DfID is currently providing assistance to the National Commission on HIV/AIDS to strengthen its capacity to co-ordinate implementation of the national strategy for controlling HIV/AIDS and will discuss this issue with the commission in this context.

Cyprus: Sovereign Bases

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the current situation in relation to the Sovereign Base areas in Cyprus, with particular reference to the United Kingdom's offer to surrender some parts of these to a reunited Cyprus.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The situation in relation to the Sovereign Base areas in Cyprus has not changed. An offer to return areas of land currently within the Sovereign Base areas of Cyprus formed part of the proposed settlement that was the subject of a referendum on 24 April. Regrettably, the Greek Cypriots rejected the settlement. The transfer of land will not therefore be implemented.

Cyprus: European Parliament Representation

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether all six seats for Cyprus in the European Parliament have been allocated to the electors in Greek southern Cyprus.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: All six seats for Cyprus in the European Parliament have been allocated under arrangements designed by the Government of the Republic. On 11 June, the Council agreed a Commission proposal on new arrangements whereby, in the event of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem there would be new elections for the European Parliament in Cyprus and two of the six seats would be reserved for Turkish Cypriots.

Cyprus: EU Office in North

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made to establish an office of the European Union in northern Cyprus since the referendum on the Annan plan.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Preparations are well under way. This is a matter for the European Commission, but we hope such an office will be open as soon as possible.
	The Commission is working hard to ensure that 259 million euros structural funds earmarked for the north of the island can be disbursed at the earliest possible opportunity. If alternative, temporary measures to administer these funds effectively can be put in place, it may be possible to start disbursement before the Commission office is fully operational.

Cyprus: UK Relations with North

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What changes have taken place since the referendum on the Annan plan in contacts between the Government and (a) the elected authority in northern Cyprus and (b) diplomatic representatives of the Turkish Cypriot government in foreign countries.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Government are working with the Turkish Cypriots, with the Commission, and with our EU partners, including the Republic of Cyprus, to ensure the aims of the EU as expressed in the conclusions of the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 April can be realised. This collective process includes increasingly close working contacts with the authorities in northern Cyprus, and with their representatives elsewhere.

Cyprus: EU Funding for North

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much funding has been allocated by the European Union to northern Cyprus since the referendum on the Annan plan; and whether such funds will be forwarded to authorities in Turkish northern Cyprus or to authorities in Greek southern Cyprus.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The EU agreed to allocate 259 million euros of European structural funds to the Turkish Cypriots. The Commission will manage the disbursement of these funds, as agreed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council of 26 April 2004.

Cyprus: Ercan Airport

Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Ercan Airport in Northern Cyprus has been reopened; and what progress, since the referendum on the Annan plan, is being made to allow direct flights from the nations of the European Union to Ercan Airport.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Government believe steps should be taken as quickly as possible to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. On 26 April 2004, the General Affairs and External Relations Council invited the European Commission to
	"bring forward comprehensive proposals with particular emphasis on the economic integration of the island [of Cyprus] and on improving contact between the two communities and with the EU".
	We look forward to seeing these proposals. We are considering these issues too and see significant benefits in direct links between the northern part of Cyprus and other parts of the EU if this can be done in a safe and effective way, respecting the legitimate concerns and interests of all involved.
	Direct flights from EU member states to Ercan Airport would be in line with the EU policy, encouraged by the UN Secretary General, to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots with a view to reuniting the island.

Vietnam: Human Rights

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are discussing with the Government of Vietnam the situation of the Montagnard minorities, in particular, reported killings and woundings on 10 and 11 April, the ending of martial law, the release of prisoners of conscience and the restoration of full religious freedom.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We regularly raise our concerns on human rights in Vietnam with the Vietnamese Government, both bilaterally and with our EU partners. Most recently, on 25 May, my honourable friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mike O'Brien) raised the situation in the central highlands of Vietnam with the Vietnamese President. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary also raised the issue and our concerns over human rights the same day with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister.

United States: Detainees

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ask the United States Government how many prisoners and detainees they are holding at places outside the United States; where they are located; and what plans the United States Government have for bringing them to trial or releasing them.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The question of detainees forms part of the British Government's regular exchanges with the US Government.

China: Human Rights

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have asked the Government of China to commute the death sentence on the Tibetan Buddhist leader Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche; if so, what has been the response; and, if any response was negative, whether they will continue to raise this matter and to ask that he be afforded a retrial.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) raised Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche's case bilaterally in Beijing in December 2003 with Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui. Foreign Minister Zhang replied that Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche had had a fair and public trial and had been sentenced in accordance with Chinese law. Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche's case was also included on a list of cases handed over during the visit of Premier Wen to the UK in May this year. The case was raised most recently during the UK-China human rights dialogue in May. FCO officials asked for confirmation that the authorities would not carry out the death sentence in this case, expressed concern at the judicial process and requested a retrial. The Chinese side said that according to Chinese law, if Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche did not commit further crimes within the two-year suspension period, he would not be executed. Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche's suspension period will end in December 2004. We will continue to raise this case when appropriate opportunities arise.

Cuba: Human Rights

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What recent opportunities the European Union common position on Cuba has created for dialogue on matters of concern to the United Kingdom Government.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The EU and the UK have had a political dialogue with the Cuban Government for many years. Respect for human rights remains the key issue in the EU's relationship of constructive engagement and dialogue with the Cuban Government, as set out in the common position. Following a crackdown on the peaceful opposition in March 2003, the EU—in line with the common position and alongside other international organisations like UNESCO, the UNCHR in Geneva and the Caribbean Community—condemned Cuba's actions and adopted a series of measures that reflected our human rights concerns. These included the inviting to national day receptions, alongside Cuban government representatives, of members of the peaceful opposition and civil society; as is the practice of the EU elsewhere in the world and is the practice of Cuban embassies in EU capitals. Since then the EU has also condemned the Cuban Government for sentencing, in April and May 2004, more human rights activists and journalists for trying to exercise freedom of speech.
	The Cuban response to the EU condemnation has been to reject all EU development aid, and to "freeze" contact with EU embassies in Havana. The EU has never cut any communication to Cuban missions in capitals and repeated in its ministerial declaration of 15 June 2004 its readiness to resume the dialogue the Cuban Government terminated. The UK has not cut any bilateral co-operation and indeed has secured new funding for its links with Cuba, for example in scholarships. The UK continues to maintain active programmes of co-operation in areas as diverse as child protection, migration and law enforcement, and encourages trade, tourism, education, sport, science and cultural links between the two countries. We remain committed to dialogue.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Partnership for Peace

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their position on Bosnia-Herzegovina joining Partnership for Peace by the end of June 2004.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Government support Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) aspiration to join NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP). We welcome the significant progress made in implementing the military reforms required for PfP membership—in particular the appointment of a state-level defence Minister. However, BiH must also meet the political requirements of membership, including full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The ICTY's current assessment is that the BiH authorities—in particular in the Republika Srpska—are not co-operating fully with the tribunal, in particular, securing the transfer of Radovan Karadzic to the Hague. In the absence of such co-operation in the coming days, it is difficult to conceive of an invitation at the Istanbul summit to join PfP.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Research Paper Recommendations

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What their plans are to implement the recommendations of the Research Development Statistics Paper 220, on information dissemination to potential asylum seekers in countries of origin and/or transit, including the recommendations (a) to extend UK visas mandate to cover asylum procedures and (b) to expand the United Kingdom membership of the main Immigration and Nationality Directorate user panel to include more representatives of ethnic minority groups and refugee organisations.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The research findings and recommendations will be considered, along with other research, to inform the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's development of communication activity to potential asylum seekers.
	On the recommendation about UK visas mandate, there is no provision within the Immigration Rules to issue a visa to enable a person to seek asylum.
	The purpose of the main IND user panel is to provide a forum to discuss a broad range of IND services with key stakeholders to help to improve the level of service provided and share information about developments. We regularly review membership of the panel to ensure that the relevant organisations are represented.

Immigration: Hunger Strikes

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made in the cases of Fariboz Grasvindi, Mokhtar Haydari and Faroq Haydari, following their hunger strike and admission to hospital in the United Kingdom; and whether they will not be deported to Iran if to do so would endanger their lives.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information relating to the immigration status of an individual is treated as confidential and cannot be disclosed to other persons. This reflects the Home Office's legal obligations under common law, human rights and data protection legislation, and the treatment of private personal information under the Code of Practice on Access to Information. I regret, therefore, that I am unable to provide any information relating to the current immigration status of Fariboz Grasvindi, Mokhtar Haydari and Farooq Haydari. I can, however, assure the noble Lord that my honourable friend the Minister of State for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality is in correspondence with the honourable Members who represent Fariboz Grasvindi, Mokhtar Haydari and Farooq Haydari.

Immigration: Sector-based Scheme

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many permits were issued under the sector-based immigration scheme over the past year; which 10 countries produced the highest level of applications; and in which sectors they were employed.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The table provides the details requested on the numbers of work permits issued under the sector-based scheme for the period 30 May 2003 to 31 December 2003:
	
		
			 Nationality Food Processing (Fish) Food Processing (General) Food Processing (Meat) Hospitality and Catering Total 
			 Bangladesh 39 18 30 1,313 1,400 
			 Ukraine 171 429 312 151 1,063 
			 Poland 74 186 389 354 1,003 
			 Slovakia 0 1 562 57 620 
			 Bulgaria 117 38 86 285 526 
			 Czech 
			 Republic 15 0 426 20 461 
			 Pakistan 10 90 166 176 442 
			 Lithuania 17 177 48 95 337 
			 Latvia 48 34 50 155 287 
			 Romania 0 2 117 150 269 
			 Others 117 72 200 1,011 1,400 
			 
			 Total 608 1,047 2,386 3,767 7,808

Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Staff

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many staff are employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office; and what is the breakdown by ethnic origin and by nationality.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The information requested on Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff ethnic origin is in the table. Total number of staff as of 21 May 2004 is 14,858.
	
		Breakdown by Ethnic Origin
		
			 Ethnic Origin NumberofStaff Percentageof Staffwhoseethnicityis known 
			 White Total 6,680 72 
			 White and Black Caribbean 39 0.42 
			 White and Black African 16 0.17 
			 White and Asian 62 0.67 
			 Any other mixed background 86 0.93 
			 Mixed Total 203 2.19  
			 Indian 745 8.06 
			 Pakistani 268 2.89 
			 Bangladeshi 99 1.07 
			 Any other Asian background 286 3.09 
			 Asian Total 1,398 15.12  
			 Caribbean 394 4.26 
			 African 428 4.63 
			 Any other black background 37 0.40 
			 Black Total 859 9.29  
			 Chinese Total 44 0.47  
			 Any other ethnicity 
			 Total 59 0.63 
			 Total Staff 14,858 100 
		
	
	The information requested on nationality is not available.

Criminal Records Bureau: Capita Contract

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the contract under which Capita operates the Criminal Records Bureau requires a separate application to be made by a person in respect of each activity for which clearance is required.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The contract between Capita and Her Majesty's Government has no stipulation that requires a separate application to be made by a person in respect of each activity for which clearance is required.

Asylum Applicants: Withdrawal of Support

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why support was withdrawn from Kaltuma Ahmed and Shamsa Noor, both from Somalia, before their asylum claims had been finally decided; and what is their present status.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I am afraid that from the information given it has not been possible for IND officials to identify the cases referred to. If the noble Lord writes to my honourable friend the Minister for Citizenship and Immigration with full details I will ensure a full response is provided. In general support is provided to eligible asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute until a final decision is made on the claim for asylum. But support is provided subject to conditions and asylum seekers who fail to comply with any conditions may have their support terminated. In such cases there is a right of appeal against the decision to cease support to the Asylum Support Adjudicator.

Sport: Financial Assistance by Local Authorities

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the estimated annual levels of financial assistance for sport made available by local authorities for each year since 1997.

Lord Rooker: The amount of local authority net current expenditure on sports facilities and sports development services and community recreation since 1997 are tabled below. Figures are shown in millions.
	
		Net current expenditure on sports in England -- £ million
		
			 Year Sports facilities Sports development services and community recreation Total 
			 1997–98   536 
			 1998–99 448 113 561 
			 1999–2000 443 120 563 
			 2000–01 429 163 592 
			 2001–02 437 187 624 
			 2002–03 401 225 626 
			 2003–04   631 
		
	
	1 Budget figures
	It is not possible to split the data for 1997–98 and 2003–04 between the two categories.
	The data are taken from the R04 (outturn) forms for all years except 2003–04 when the data are taken from the RA (budget) form. These forms are completed each year by individual local authorities.
	The forms do not separately identify grants made by local authorities to sports organisations.

Department of Health: Compliance with Code of Practice on Access to Government Information

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish their reasons for refusing to comply with the recommendations by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in relation to the complaint by Ms Branigan, a journalist employed by the Guardian, of a failure by the Department of Health to comply with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health has accepted the recommendations of the Parliamentary Commissioner. The information previously withheld and recommended for release has now been supplied, subject to the excisions agreed with the Commissioner.

Misleading Food Labelling

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the reply by the Lord Warner on 5 May (HL Deb, cols. 1204–10) on misleading food labelling, what consideration the Department of Health has given to the statement by Dr Catherine Humphries entitled Promotion to Children—a Case for Controls; and whether they will be taking any action.

Lord Warner: The helpful statement by Dr Humphries highlights voluntary action taken by the Co-op to restrict promotion to children of foods high in fat, salt or sugar and welcomes the recommendations in the Food Standards Agency action plan on food promotions and children's diets. This plan, which is currently being consulted on, calls upon a variety of stakeholders to work with the agency to address the ways in which foods are promoted to children, and in doing so to encourage children to eat a more healthy diet.

NHS Professionals Special Health Authority

Lord Howie of Troon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What budget has been set for establishing a special health authority for National Health Service professionals; and whether funds from past National Health Service Professionals start-up costs will be transferred to the new authority; and
	What ongoing financial support is expected to be required by the National Health Service Professionals Special Health Authority; and
	When the National Health Service Professionals Special Health Authority is expected to be self-funding; and
	When the Department of Health will publish a business plan for the National Health Service Professionals Special Health Authority; and
	What additional charges and fees National Health Service Professionals currently make to National Health Service trusts for providing its services; and what are the levels of those charges and fees; and
	What percentage of the costs paid by National Health Service trusts to National Health Service Professionals is (a) paid to the nurse or health worker; and (b) retained by National Health Service Professionals.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health has allocated £26.6 million to the new NHS Professionals Special Health Authority for 2004–05. This, taking into account moneys from the previous year, brings the total investment to £32.8 million for 2004–05. It is anticipated that NHS Professionals will be self-financing by 2006–07. A copy of the NHS Professionals business plan, which outlines its strategy for the next three years, will be placed in the Library shortly.
	Approximately 93 per cent of the costs paid by National Health Service trusts to NHS Professionals relates to direct salary costs, with approximately 7 per cent charged in relation to on-costs such as national insurance and superannuation. In addition, NHS Professionals normally levies an average management fee of 7.5 per cent to NHS trusts for each shift they fill, although this can vary according to arrangements agreed locally. This fee also covers an element for training and development. NHS Professionals is a non-profit making organisation and the management fee is set at a level sufficient to recoup the cost to NHS Professionals of delivering the service.

Severe Personality Disorder

Lord Alderdice: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proposals they have for services for severe personality disorder, in light of the proposed closure of Webb House (Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health National Health Service Trust), and the threats to the Henderson Hospital (South West London and St George's Mental Health National Health Service Trust) and Main House (Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health National Health Service Trust).

Lord Warner: In line with the National Institute for Mental Health in England policy guidance on Personality Disorder: No Longer a Diagnosis of Exclusion (2003), a number of initiatives aimed at developing new approaches to the treatment and care of people with a severe personality disorder have been developed.
	Through this programme the Department of Health has recently allocated funding of £10.9 million to 11 new community-focused personality disorder services based in each region of England over the next two years. These services will be established as part of the wider development of personality disorder services funded by a recurrent baseline allocation of £8 million to primary care trusts from 2004–05 rising to £10 million in 2005–06.
	In addition, the agreed development plans for Webb House will see the establishment of eight new day services across the north-west in place of the inpatient service at Crewe. The aim is to improve access and effectiveness and foster the expansion of personality disorder services to a population of 79.4 million people.
	The development plans for Main House and the Henderson Hospital being drawn up by local commissioners and providers in preparation for the expected return of funding to the National Health Service in 2006 are at an earlier stage but will also be consistent with the NIMHE guidance.

Sports Nutrition

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the timetable for new European legislation on sports nutrition; and
	What objectives they will pursue in relation to forthcoming European legislation on sports nutrition; and
	What steps they are taking to ensure that any new European legislation on sports nutrition is based upon the most recently published scientific research rather than on the recommendations of the 2001 report of the European Union Scientific Committee for Food; and
	What recent meetings and consultations have been undertaken by the Food Standards Agency in relation to forthcoming European Union legislation on sports nutrition products; and what steps the agency intends to take to ensure that legislation does not affect consumer choice or the ability of manufacturers to develop new products.

Lord Warner: The Government's objectives in relation to proposals for European Union legislation on sports nutrition are to press the case for proportinate legislation which both protects public health and delivers informed consumer choice.
	In April 2004, the European Commission issued a "working document for a draft Commission Directive on foods intended to meet the expenditure of intense muscular effort, especially for sports people". Follwing an expert working group meeting in Brussels last month, the Commission has indicated that it is likely to issue an amended proposal in the autumn of this year.
	The range of sports nutrition products on the market has increased since the former Scientific Committee on Food issued its two relevant reports in 2000. It would be in the interests of consumers and industry if all relevant products on the market were covered by the directive. Therefore the Food Standards Agency will press the Commission to take the relevant steps to ensure that it takes account of recent developments, including any recently published scientific research.
	The FSA has consulted on the Commission's initial working document and met with stakeholders to discuss their concerns. It will continue to consult stakeholders as the legislation develops. The agency's negotiating objective is to secure legislation which both protects consumer health and maintains a wide range of consumer choice.

Skin Cancer

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the level of public awareness of skin cancer.

Lord Warner: Cancer Research UK has been commissioned by the United Kingdom health departments to provide the SunSmart skin cancer prevention campaign for the next three years.
	The Sun-Smart campaign commissioned the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to carry out a quantitative sun protection survey in March 2003. The survey was designed to measure knowledge about skin cancer prevention measures, attitudes to tanning and the dangers of the sun and self-reported sun protection behaviour.
	ONS research will be used to monitor the campaign's impact and effectiveness. Further surveys were carried out in September 2003 and February 2004.
	Results from the March 2003 ONS survey are publicly available on the SunSmart website www.sunsmart.org.uk
	The campaign also commissioned qualitative research through the Centre for Social Marketing at Strathclyde University in September 2003 to run focus groups exploring the UK public's attitudes to the sun, sun protection and skin cancer among children and young people. Results will be available online later this summer.

Skin Cancer

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they are taking to provide information in doctors' surgeries on actinic keratosis and suspected skin cancer.

Lord Warner: Cancer Research UK has been commissioned by the United Kingdom health departments to provide the SunSmart sun awareness campaign for the next three years.
	Cancer Research UK has printed 40,000 posters designed to assist general practitioners and practice nurses in the identification of suspicious skin lesions, including actinic keratosis. The poster, which contains photographs and explanations of various lesions, has been distributed to all UK doctors' surgeries in early 2004.
	Cancer Research UK also makes available a series of health information leaflets for surgeries which can be distributed to patients. These include Malignant Melanoma—be a mole watcher for life and Skin cancer—how to be SunSmart and reduce your risk.
	Through these strategies, we are encouraging health professionals to take an opportunistic approach of checking patients' moles when they attend surgery, and encouraging the public to check their moles and seek professional opinion for suspect lesions.

Children in Care

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many children have been taken into care in each of the past five years.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The estimated number of children who started to be looked after during the most recent five-year period is shown in the table below.
	
		Chidren who started to be looked after during the years ending 31 March 1999 to 2003 1  -- England
		
			 Year Number 
			 1999 28,400 
			 2000 28,600 
			 2001 25,200 
			 2002 25,300 
			 2003 24,100 
		
	
	Source:
	SSDA903
	1 The figures are based on a one-third sample of all looked-after children in England

Physical Education in Primary Schools

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What duty of care primary schools are under to ensure that teachers taking physical education lessons are properly qualified to teach physical education.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Governing bodies of primary schools are responsible for ensuring that teachers employed in their schools are qualified to teach the subjects they will be required to teach.
	The standards for the award of qualified teacher status (QTS) require that those awarded QTS must demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of the subjects they are trained to teach.
	Qualified teachers in primary schools must demonstrate that they have sufficient understanding across a range of subjects, including physical education, to be able to teach them in the age range for which they are trained.
	Local education authorities and governing bodies of schools may establish their own policies on additional qualifications for teachers teaching certain specific activities within physical education.

BBC: European Union Support

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the BBC or any of its employees receive any financial assistance or benefits in kind from the European Union towards the provision and upkeep of their news and current affairs services in Brussels or elsewhere in the European Union; and, if so, what is the value and nature of such assistance.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: In common with all other broadcasters the BBC uses the European Parliament's audio-visual facilities from time to time but the BBC's Producers' Guidelines make clear that "Co-funding must never be accepted for news, current affairs or consumer advice programming on any BBC domestic or international service".

Draft European Constitutional Treaty

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment has been made of the implications for professional and voluntary sport in the United Kingdom arising from the latest version of Article III-182 of the draft European Constitutional Treaty.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The adoption of a legal competence for sport in the Constitutional Treaty will provide sports organisations in the UK with greater access to sources of European Unon (EU) funding and opportunites to share best practice and increase co-operation with sports organisations in other member states. A competence for sport would also provide legal clarity and consistency for the development of professional sport.

Draft European Constitutional Treaty

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is meant by the term "promoting . . . openness in sporting competitions" within the latest version of Article III–182 of the draft European Constitutional Treaty.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The principle behind the drafting of this clause of Article III–182 of the draft Constitutional Treaty is to promote fair access to sporting competition for all, both competitors and volunteers.

Draft European Constitutional Treaty

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consultation has taken place with sports bodies about proposals within Article III–182 of the draft European Constitutional Treaty to give the European Union a legal competence in sport.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My right honourable friend the Minister for Sport and Tourism (Richard Caborn) maintains regular contact with sports bodies on all matters of interest to them, including Article III–182 of the draft Constitutional Treaty. He met and discussed the draft of Article III–182 with representatives of the Union des Associations Européennes de Football (UEFA), and received proposals for redrafting the article jointly from UEFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which represented the sports movement (including the Association of Summer Olympic Sports and the Association of Winter Olympic Sports). These proposals were taken into account when the majority of European Union Sports Ministers agreed a series of amendments to the draft article at their meeting in October 2003. FIFA, UEFA and the IOC endorsed these amendments.

Draft European Constitutional Treaty

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they support a European Union legal competence for sport; and whether they agree with the latest version of Article III–182 of the draft European Constitutional Treaty.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government believe that sport is primarily a matter for member states. We are content, however, with the inclusion of sport as a supporting competence in the draft European Union Constitutional Treaty as it is clear that the Union may only act to support, co-ordinate or complement member states' action. It also expressly precludes any harmonisation of member states' laws in the area of sport. The Government are satisfied with the current draft of Article III–182 which reflects efforts to include the principles of the Nice Declaration on Sport in the draft treaty by recognising the specific nature of sport and its social and educational function. These changes resulted from discussions at a meeting of EU Sports Ministers in October 2003 during which my right honourable friend the Minister for Sport and Tourism (Richard Caborn) played a major role in establishing a broad consensus in favour of amendments to Article III–182.

Sport: Governance in the UK

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Who is responsible for the governance of sport in the United Kingdom.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for government policy on sport in England. Sport England is the non-departmental public body that provides the strategic lead for sport in England. Sport is a devolved issue and as such the governance of sport in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved governments and their respective Sports Councils. UK Sport is the non-departmental public body with responsibility for developing high-performance sport in the UK.

Winter Olympic Sport Group

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the membership of the Winter Olympic Sport Group; when the group was set up; who chairs the group; and what decisions the group has reached.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Winter Sport Forum was established in August 1998 under the chairmanship of Richard Simmons, Olympic performance manager, at the British Olympic Association. It is an informal group of the key staff who lead the high performance programmes in each of Great Britain's Olympic winter sports.
	To date, the key issues on which the forum has focused include: a Pre-Olympic Winter Games holding camp in 2002; European Youth Winter Olympic preparation camps for 2003 and 2005; pre-Olympic athlete and staff gatherings and numerous other issues all of which aim to draw more attention and specialist help to Olympic winter sport in the United Kingdom, to attract better athletes and more funding support.

Sport Sponsorship

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the latest estimates of the annual value of sports sponsorship for each sport.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The most widely accepted measure of the UK sports sponsorship market is the Sportscan survey. Although the survey does not provide figures for each sport, it states that the overall value of the UK sports sponsorship market was £411 million in the calendar year 2003, and estimates it as £398 million in 2004.
	This figure only includes the "right fees" that the sponsor pays to a sport to purchase sponsorship. It does not include expenditure by sponsors to exploit their sponsorship rights through advertising and other forms of promotion. The figure also excludes sponsorship of individual sportspersons and contracts that solely involve the supply or sponsorship of clothing.

Sports Clubs

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the curent estimates for the number of voluntary sports clubs affiliated to national governing bodies for each sport.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: According to the most recent available estimates there are, in total, some 104,600 affiliated sports clubs in England. Data relating to the numbers of clubs affiliated to individual national governing bodies for each sport are not available.

Code of Practice on Access to Government Information

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On how many occasions and in what circumstances they or their predecessors have refused to comply with recommendations by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration since that office was established by Parliament.

Lord Filkin: There have been two occasions where Her Majesty's Government have not complied with recommendations by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration on questions of disclosure of information under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	The first instance, in 2001, related to a refusal to disclose the number of times Ministers had made declarations of interest or sought advice in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
	The second instance, in 2003, related to a refusal to disclose information relating to the acceptance of gifts by Ministers in accordance with the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
	In both instances, it was maintained that to release the requested information would occasion significant harm to the frankness and candour of internal discussion and would represent an unwarranted invasion of Ministers' privacy.

Olympic Games 2012: London Bid

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the constitutent parts of the first class transport system required for the London bid for the 2012 Olympic Games to be successful, in the event that the East London Line, Crossrail and the Jubilee Line extension are not in place by 2012.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The transport plans for London's 2012 Olympic Games are still being developed and will include a number of specific schemes to improve capacity during the Games. By 2012 10 railway lines will serve the site of the proposed Olympic Park in Stratford making it one of the accessible areas of London.
	The 2012 Olympic bid does not and never has assumed Crossrail. A robust transport solution for the Olympics can be delivered without Crossrail. The Jubilee Line extension was completed in 1999. Planned improvements are under way and contracted to be delivered by 2007.